Shoe construction



Dec. l0, 1957 G. w. RUANE 2,815,588

SHOE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 28, 1957 INVENTOR. GERGE W. RILANE w Mw" A T TORNEYS .SHOE CONSTRUCTION George `W. `',Ruane, Cincinnati, Ohio ApplicationMarchZS, 1957,.Serial `No.`649,113

Claims. (Cl. ,3G-f2.5)

This invention relates .to .a shoe construction.

An Aobject vof athis invention `iszto provide a shoe yhaving `a heel portion .of an upper which .isseparate from the main or'front portion of .theupper and which can move between a Vheel-.engaging position :and avreleased position.

A further object of thiszinventionis to provide ai'shoe construction .of this type in `which the -heel portion of the upper is mounted on tracks so that it can be moved between a position in which the 'heel `of thewearer is engaged anda positionLin-.which theheel iis released, so that the shoe can readily be put onforstaken oi.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shoe construction of this typeinuwhich/theheel portion of the upper is resiliently urged to released position by a spring which is housed in the heel of the shoe.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shoe construction which makes it possible for a shoe to be readily put on and taken off without bending to reach the shoe.

The above and other objects and features of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, from the following detailed description and the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a shoe constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View partly in side elevation and partly in section, showing the shoe illustrated in Fig. 1 with the heel portion of the upper in released position.

Fig. 3 is a view in section taken on the line 3--3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in section taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the heel of the shoe with the upper and an inner sole portion removed;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section showing the tra-ck construction;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a heel-gripping spring-clamp which forms a part of the shoe construction; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in section taken on the line 8 8 in Fig. 2.

In the following detailed description, and the drawing, like reference characters indicate like parts.

In Figs. 1 3 inclusive' is illustrated a shoe 10 which includes a sole 12 and a heel 13. The shoe is provided with a two-part upper including a front portion 14 of the upper which is attached to the sole 12 in the usual manner. A heel portion 16 of the upper is reciprocably mounted so that it can move between a heel-engaging position shown in Fig. 1, and a released position shown in Fig. 2.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the heel portion of the upper includes side walls 17 and 18. A heel portion of an insole 19 connects the side walls 17 and 18 and reciprocates therewith. Female track members 21 and 22 are attached to the underside of the insole 19.

2,815,588 Patented Dec. 10, 1957 -As -shown most clearly in Fig. 6, each of the female track portions engages a male track portion 23. The male track portions 23 are attached to the upper face ofthe heel 26 of the shoe so that, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the heel portion of the upper, together with the heel portion of the insole 19, are reciprocable lengthwise of the shoe.

The heel portion of the upper is urged to released position by a compression spring 2'7. The spring 27 `is housed in a slot 28 in the heel of the shoe. A back-up plate 29 of metal or the like, closes one end of the slot 28. The plate 29 backs up one end of the spring 27. The other end of the spring 2'/ engages a spring urged angle bracket 31. The angle bracket 31, in turn, is attached to the underside of the reciprocating heel portion of the insole so that the spring 27 urges the heel portion ofrthe upper to released position shown in Fig. 2. When the heel portion of the shoe is advanced to the right, as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 4, the heel portion of the upper reaches the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4. At this position a clamp 33 engages the rear end of the heel portion of the upper to hold the heel portion of the upper in heel-engaging position. The clamp 33 is formed of spring metal so that, a rear flange 34 of the clamp is resiliently urged to the gripping position shown in full lines. The clamp can swing up and down in a slot 35 in the `heel of the shoe. An outwardly projecting portion 36 of the clamp may be engaged with a toe to swing'the clamp to the position Ashown in .dot-dash lines at which the heel portion of the upper is released to move to released position under urging of the spring.

As shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 8, pockets 37 are formed in the sides of the front portion of the upper. The pockets 3'7 open toward the heel portion of the upper. The heel portion of the upper is provided with tabs 38 which telescopically reciprocate in the pockets 37 between the position shown in Fig. 2, and the position shown in Fig. 1, to hold the side walls of the front and heel portions of the upper in alignment.

The operation of the shoe will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description, and the drawing. The shoe can be put on and taken off readily by a person who is unable to bend down to put a shoe on in the usual fashion. When the heel portion of the upper is in the released position shown in Fig. 2, a foot can easily be slipped into the shoe. Then, the heel portion may be readily pushed to heel-engaging position at which the shoe is held in place by the clamp 33. When the Shoe is to be removed, the clamp can be released by pressure of a toe on the outwardly projecting portion 36 of the clamp so that the heel portion of the upper is pushed to open position by the spring 27. When the heel portion of the upper is in this position, the toot can readily be slipped out of the shoe.

The shoe construction illustrated in the drawing and described above, is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shoe which comprises a sole, a heel at the rear end ot the sole, a front portion of an upper mounted on the sole, a track mounted on the heel and extending lengthwise of the shoe, a heel portion of the upper mounted on said track to move toward and away from the front portion of the upper, and means for holding the heel portion of the upper in a closed position adjacent the front portion of the upper.

2. A shoe which comprises a shoe, a heel at the rear end of the sole, a front portion of an upper mounted on the sole, a track mounted on the heel and extending ,n lengthwise of the shoe, a heel portion of the upper mounted on said track to move toward and away from the front portion of the upper, spring means mounted in the heel of the shoe, means connecting the heel portion of the upper to the spring so that the spring urges the heel portion of the upper to an open position spaced from the front portion of the upper, and means for holding the heel portion of the upper in a closed position adjacent the front portion of the upper.

3. A shoe which comprises a sole, a heel at the rear end of the sole, a front portion of an upper mounted on the sole, a track mounted on the heel and extending lengthwise of the shoe, a heel portion of the upper mounted on said track to move toward and away from the front portion of the upper, one of the portions of the upper having open-ended pockets in the ends of the sides thereof adjacent the other portion, tabs on the edges of the other portion telescopically received in the pockets to guide the edges of the portions of the upper into alignment, and means for holding the heel portion of the upper in a closed position adjacent the front portion of the upper.

4. A shoe which comprises a sole, a heel at the rear end of the sole, a front portion of an upper mounted on the sole, a track mounted on the heel and extending lengthwise of the shoe, a heel portion of the upper mounted on said track to move toward and away from the front portion of the upper, one of the portions of the upper having open-ended pockets in the ends of the sides thereof adjacent the other portion, tabs on the edges of the other portion telescopically received in the pockets to guide the edges of the portions of the upper into alignr` end of the sole, a front portion of an upper mounted on the sole, a track mounted on the heel and extending lengthwise of the shoe, a heel portion of the upper mounted on said track to move toward and away fromtthe front portion of the upper, one of the portions of the upper having open-ended pockets'in'the ends 'of the sides thereof adjacent the other portion, tabs on the edges of the other portion telescopically received in the pockets to guide the edges of the portions of the upper into alignment,

. spring means mounted in the heel of the shoe, means connecting the heel portion of the upper to the spring so that the spring urges the heel portion of the upper to an open position spaced from the front portion of the upper, and a clamp for holding the heel portion of the I upper in a closed position adjacent the front portion Iof the upper, said clamp comprising a resilient main portion attached to the heel of the shoe, a flange engageable with the rear of the heel portion of the upper, and an outwardly extending toe engageable portion, the clamp being movable out of heel-engaging position by pressure on the toe engageable portion.

No references cited. 

